And A Child Shall Lead Them
by New Dawn Rising
Summary: A misunderstanding causes Rogue to leave. What happened and will she return? Warning: This is not your normal Romy, at least not at the moment. Romy and some Jonda.
1. Regrets and Remembrances

_**This is a short story that has been plaguing me all day, just begging to be written. Rogue is able to touch and has Carol's abilities. I am not saying that I agree in having sex before marriage, I only used it for this particular story. I'm not entirely sure about Monet's abilities, so I just gave her TK in this story. Enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: Only the idea is mine. Characters, other than OC's unfortunately, are not.**

In a run-down diner on the outskirts of Savannah, Georgia, Marie finishes her shift as a waitress. It was the only job she could find, considering her circumstances. The pay isn't all that great, but some of the regular patrons tip her well when she is stationed at their table.

She has tried to find a job as a mechanic, but it seemed like every place she went to, she was turned away because of some chauvinistic employer who believed that a woman could not possibly be schooled enough to be a mechanic. One even had the audacity to tell her that it wasn't a woman's place, that the only way she would be in the garage for more than the few minutes it took to drop of her car, was if she was one of the scantily clad models on the calendar prominently displayed on their wall. He even went so far as to look her over and inform her that with her looks and figure, it wouldn't be a problem for her in the slightest. After telling him off, using several choice words that would make even Logan blush, she stormed out of there, vowing never to return. Marie's been trained in that profession by two of the best, so she figures she can buy the parts herself, thereby saving her monstrous labor costs.

"_Every penny counts these days."_ she muses to herself as she grabs her purse from behind the counter and heads out into the muggy late-afternoon air. She takes a deep breath, smelling the salty air coming in from the ocean a couple of miles away. Just as she is about to climb into her old beater of a car, she is intercepted.

"Marie! I was hopin' I'd run inta ya." Marie sighs in resignation as Jesse eagerly approaches her.

"I've gotta get home, Jesse. Make it quick." She replies, slightly impatient at the interruption. "It's been a long day, an' I jus' wanna spend some time with Eti."

Jesse flinches at the mention of that name, which doesn't escape her notice.

"That's precisely why I won' go out with ya. If ya can' accept him, then ya ain' gettin' with me. That's tha way it is." Marie states with a note of finality. "I believe we're finished, here. As far as I'm considered, ya got nothin' I wanna hear, so I'm leavin'."

"But-" He tries to respond, but she slams the door and starts the car, pulling away before he even has a chance.

Marie makes the drive home, listening to a rock station. One of her favorite Creed songs comes on and she smiles to herself.

_Children, don't stop dancing_

_Believe you can fly_

_Away, away._

The song ends, just as she pulls into the small resident's lot at her apartment complex. It's a bit run-down, but it's clean and affordable. Her steps quicken with anticipation of what awaits her inside. Opening the door, a small blur launches itself at her, grabbing her legs and joyfully crying out: "Mama...Mama!"

Marie laughs merrily and tousles the small boy's head of auburn hair. "I take it ya missed Mama taday?" She asks playfully. The boy looks up at her, his red-on-black eyes causing her to catch her breath for a second. _"He looks just like his daddy." _Marie thinks sadly, wishing that things had gone differently for the hundredth time, but she doesn't have time to ponder those things buried deep within the recesses of her heart. Not at the moment. She smiles down at her son. "Were ya good for Wanda?" She asks with an arched brow.

"Yeah, I good." Etienne replies in a tiny voice, being only three. His grin is already disarming, being his father's son.

She glances over at Wanda, who chuckles softly and nods in agreement, then leans down and kisses the top of his head.

"Well then, since it's Friday night an' Mama doesn' haveta work tamorra, I'm thinkin' maybe we should go ta Mc Donald's."

As Eti runs around the room cheering, Marie turns to Wanda. "So, ya gotta hot date tanight?" She questions cheekily.

Wanda shoots her a smirk. "I don't know how 'hot' he may turn out to be, but yeah, I have a date. Have fun with Eti. I've gotta get ready." She leaves the room to go to her own, ruffling the boy's hair as she passes by.

Later that evening, Marie and Eti arrive home. After giving him a bath and reading him a couple of stories, she tucks him in for the night.

"'Night Mama." He says sleepily, yawning widely.

"'Night, Eti. If it's nice, we'll go ta tha beach tamorra." She promises, bending down to brush a kiss to his forehead. "Mama loves ya." She murmurs as she pulls the covers up a bit further.

"Wuv ya, Mama." He answers as his eyes flutter closed. Marie sits and listens as his breathing evens out, signaling sleep. She rises and stretches, turning out the light as she leaves her baby's room. Looking back, she smiles tenderly.

In the living room, she sits in her favorite armchair and turns on the TV. As she picks up a book to read, the memories come unbidden. Her eyes fill with tears as she remembers.

_She'd met him in battle. He was one of Magneto's Acolytes. Oh, he was magnetic, all right. The way his eyes drew her to him, it was the most incredible and delicious sensation. After being captured and rescued from Area 51, Gambit made it a point to make a real pest out of himself. If she could count how many times she'd caught him out on her balcony, she'd be a rich woman. He was told time and time again that his attentions should be focused elsewhere, but she got a secret thrill, every time she'd caught him following her somewhere._

_Then came the abduction and subsequent trip to New Orleans. That was the catalyst that drew them ever closer. Discovering that they'd both been down similar paths, they'd forged a bond that night, one that not even Logan could sever._

_Yeah, he left her that night, but he'd explained earlier that he had some loose ends to tie up and he would return to New York when he was finished. During that time, she had absorbed Carol Danvers' abilities, in what was a horrible accident, but not long after, Professor found the key in her finally being able to gain control. True to his word, Remy showed up as promised, this time at the front door, flooring her. She'd tried avoiding him, but having him living in the same house made it that much more difficult, if not impossible. He eventually managed to win over the other residents, although some didn't need any convincing at all. It was a daily event to have some girl throw herself at him. While he enjoyed some minor flirting with them, he seemed to take a great deal of pleasure in pursuing the Rogue._

_At length, it got to where she couldn't take it anymore. She'd agreed to go out on a date with Remy, just to try to get him to leave her alone. All it took was one date. They'd begun going out constantly after that, in time,becoming exclusive and falling what she thought was deeply in love, much to the jealousy of said 'other girls'._

_On the one year anniversary of the night they began seeing each other, he'd proposed and presented her with an amazing ring. That night, after celebrating, she consented and they'd slept together. The next day, it all fell apart. After her Danger Room session, she sought him out to find out what their plans were for that night. She looked all over for him and finally went to his room and the sight she was greeted with stopped her in her tracks. She stared in hurt astonishment as she saw her fiance in a heated embrace with none other than Monet St. Croix, a recent recruit who had made it her personal mission to claim him as her own._

_~He's mine, now.~, echoed triumphantly through Rogue's mind as she ran back to her room, not bothering to see if he'd even attempted to follow her. Rogue packed her bag, leaving the ring on her nightstand and flew down to the garage, climbing on her new Harley, a birthday gift from Logan and sped away, never looking back._

_Rogue stopped at the Brotherhood house. She figured she at least owed Wanda an explanation. As usual, Toad was bugging her. The two girls became friends after Magneto disappeared in that whole mess with Apocalypse. They'd also found a lot of common ground, even though Wanda opted to remain with the Brotherhood afterward._

"_Hey, why don't I go with you. I could use a change of pace." Wanda suggested._

"_Are ya sure? I'm not plannin' on comin' back." Rogue informed her firmly._

"_Yeah. I need to get away. I'm going crazy here, no pun intended, and John's still gone. I haven't heard anything from him." _

"_Okay, go get your things an' I'll wait, but don' take too long. I don' wanna be found out."_

_A few, short minutes later, they cruised down the highway, Wanda riding behind Rogue. First, they rode north, along the coast, then they headed south. A few weeks later, they decided to take up residence in Savannah, upon discovering that Rogue was pregnant. So many times during her pregnancy, she wanted to call the mansion, to tell Remy that he was going to be a father, but that voice persistently mocked her. ~He's mine, now...He's mine, now.~ would chant incessantly in her mind. She didn't want to dwell on the possibility of Monet answering the phone and on what Remy could possibly be doing in her absence. It was just too painful. On a chilly, rainy day in March, Etienne Rembrandt LeBeau was born. She wanted her son to have his father's name, if nothing else. The urge to call Remy was overpowering. Just as she was about to have Wanda dial the number, the thought struck her._

_~Why would anyone care? It's not like they tried to find me, or anything.~_

_Rogue closed her eyes in anguish, cuddling her tiny son ever closer. Fine, if they wanted nothing more to do with her, then she would respond in kind. That day, Rogue died. Marie was re-born._

Marie cries in earnest with the pain of those memories. The pain of her regrets slice through her. If only things had gone differently.

XXXXXXXXXX

Many miles away, in Bayville, New York, Remy LeBeau sits on the roof of the mansion, watching the moon rise over the water.

"_It's been three years! How long are you gonna let her keep her hold on you?"_ He thinks to himself. The past rushes in, causing him to bow his head in sorrow.

_He felt a spark that day, when he was an Acolyte, facing his first battle with the X-Men. Rogue had everything he wanted and more. It was a red letter day for him, when she finally agreed to go out with him. He knew he had a treasure in her and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He proposed on the anniversary of their first date. She enthusiastically said yes. That night they spent together was incredible. It was beyond everything he'd hoped for._

_Gambit knows what went wrong. He can sum it up in one name. One he never wants to hear again. Monet St. Croix. She was trouble from day one. The second their eyes briefly met in introduction, she'd made it her private agenda to break up the southern couple. She always followed him around everywhere. It really gave him a bit of insight on Rogue's part, with the way that was him not so long ago. Rogue reassured him, telling him that even though she might have seemed annoyed outwardly, in actuality, it made her feel good, knowing that she was wanted._

_It was one week after their engagement. Monet came to his room, on the pretense of delivering a message from Logan. He'd waited for her to tell him what it was, but she'd muscled her way into his room, using her telekinesis to hold him still as she proceeded to make out with him, even going so far as to make him wrap his arms around her, to make it look more convincing. He felt Rogue's hurt and distress at the sight of them, even though it wasn't what she'd assumed. Remy tried to release Monet's hold, but she added her strength to the hold, making it even more difficult to break. After many moments of struggling, he'd finally managed to free himself and ran to Rogue's room to try to explain. The only trace of her that was left was her engagement ring, left on the nightstand. _

_He groaned in dismay at the sight of her empty closet. Rushing downstairs, he ran to the garage and found her Harley missing. He immediately hopped on his and rode to the Brotherhood house, only to be informed that she'd just left, taking Wanda with her. He rode onto the freeway, in the hopes of finding her, but it was as if she had disappeared into thin air. He rode south for a few days, keeping contact with Logan and the Professor, but she was gone. He returned, heartbroken and angry, only to find Monet with a Cheshire Cat grin, waiting up for him. He glared at her with scorching rage and went into his room, slamming and locking the door behind him. All he wanted, was to be left alone._

"Well, her plan worked. Roguey lef' me." He mutters bitterly.

After Rogue left, Monet attempted to take her place as his _new_ girlfriend. He wasn't going along with that, hell no! All he wanted was his Rogue back. She tried to seduce him on numerous occasions, finally ending with him furiously telling her that he didn't want her. She meant nothing to him. Professor intervened, after the entire mansion endured several hours of their impassioned arguing. Remy was letting out a lot of pent-up hurt that night. Anyway, Professor decided then and there that Monet would serve her purpose better on another team. He too, was tired of watching the girl obsessively throw herself at Remy. So it came to be that Monet was packed up and sent off to Generation X, a satellite team located in Massachusetts. Emma Frost was in charge of that team and Monet needed to learn how to channel her telepathy into more...positive endeavors and she needed a constant eye kept on her. Who better than a stronger telepath for the job?

Remy wonders what Rogue is up to, these days. They tried to find her, practically scouring the whole country. Professor could find no sign of her with Cerebro, since she clearly wasn't using her powers. Remy looked all over the southern U.S. again, but turned up nothing, which surprised him. She was always telling him about how much she missed the south. He thought she'd be somewhere down there, for sure.

There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't miss her. She's the only woman he's ever loved, the light of his life. He sighs as the familiar melancholy settles in. _"Forever."_ He silently answers his own question.

Remy feels a breeze, as Ororo lightly settles down by him.

"You look contemplative tonight." She says, trying to initiate conversation.

"Oui." Is all she can get out of him.

"Thinking of Rogue again?" She inquires softly, her voice laced with concern.

"Always do." He replies quietly.

"I understand. There's times that I miss her, too." Storm states in a near whisper, staring at the water in the distance.

"Oui, I know she used t' tell me 'bout how she liked t' go t' y' if she had a problem. She trusted y', Stormy." Remy looks at her sincerely.

"Yes, I enjoyed talking to her. She was the one that encouraged me to take a chance with Logan. I would love the opportunity to thank her for that."

"I loved her. Wit' my whole heart."

"I know you did, Remy. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret bringing Monet here. If I had any idea of how much trouble she would be..."

"Non, non, don' go blamin' y'self. Y' didn' know she would do dose t'ings."

"No, I didn't. If I had the slightest inkling, I would have sent her to another branch team, immediately."

"But den again, mon Roguey didn' even give me a chance t' explain my side o' t'ings."

"That is true. I guess there are several instances of 'what if' in this case."

Storm falls silent, wishing she had taken the enamored girl elsewhere. Remy decides that a change of subject is in order.

"So, how are the newlyweds?" He inquires slyly, with a trace of the old teasing that used to be a natural part of him.

Storm has the grace to blush somewhat, but with a tiny grin.

"Ah, dat bon, huh?" Remy smirks slightly. "Dat's good. 'M happy de Wolverine treats y' so well."

"He _is_ wonderful, but I'm more concerned with you, at the moment."

"Why? Has somet'in' happened?" He queries warily.

"No, but I have watched you become more and more despondent, the longer Rogue is gone. Remy, Professor and I discussed it-"

"Y' talked t' de Professeur 'bout moi?" He asks suspiciously, interrupting Storm.

"Only because I care, Remy. As I was saying, I spoke to him about your...situation and we think it might help if you took a vacation. It would give you a chance to relax and think things out."

"Y' know, I was t'inkin' along de same lines. I need t' get away f'r awhile."

"I have a vacation cottage in Savannah that you can use. I haven't been there for a few years, but you're welcome to stay there. The weather should be warm, but beautiful this time of year."

"Merci, Stormy. I jus' don' have de heart t' go back t' N'awlins. I know Mercy will try t' set me up wit' one o' her amies an' I don' wan' dat."

"No, you need the time to deal with your feelings for Rogue, before you can even think about pursuing another relationship." Storm answers agreeably.

"T' be honest, 'm not sure I wan' t' pursue anot'er relationship."

"You may surprise yourself in the future, but we won't argue that, now. Just go and try to have a good time. Hopefully, you will be able to come to terms with her choice. Professor has given you one month off, starting tomorrow. Good night, Remy." Storm smiles softly as she gracefully floats back down to the ground. Remy sits for a while longer, then stealthily makes his way back into his room. He needs to pack.


	2. Reunion

_**A/N: And now for Part 2.**_

On Saturday, Marie is awakened by a small boy crawling up into bed with her. She pulls him close and tickles him.

"Did ya sleep well, Eti?" She asks as she holds him against her.

"Yeah. We go out?" He questions innocently.

Marie chuckles lightly. "Yeah. We'll see if Auntie Wanda wants ta go with us. Mama will help ya build a sandcastle."

"Yay!" He cheers, jumping off her bed to get his beach toys together. She shakes her head and crawls out of her bed, grabbing her swimsuit and heading into the bathroom.

After awhile, the threesome park at the beach and walk down to a nice spot, Marie holding Eti's hand and Wanda carrying a cooler with drinks and their lunch and a bag of his toys. Marie sits with her son and helps him build the promised sandcastle, then they go down by the water, sticking their feet in and splashing each other. He eventually grows tired, so she takes him back up to where they have their stuff set up and lays him down under the large umbrella, stroking his hair until he falls asleep.

"So, how did ya date go las' night? Was it a 'hot' date?" Rogue questions, turning to Wanda with a mischievous expression.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Marie." She states seriously. As Marie sobers, she begins.

"My date last night was with someone we both know."

"Who would that be?" Marie asks, not quite following since they know a lot of people around here.

"It was with John." Wanda tells her.

She looks at her closest friend in confusion. They actually know a couple of guys named John, then comprehension dawns, causing her stomach to clench.

"Ya mean John, as in Pyro?" She whispers.

"Yeah. A few days ago, he came into town on his way back to Bayville. He told me he was finishing a world-wide book tour for the past year-and-a-half, after completing the final book in his series, but he didn't want the rest of the guys to know. You know how they are." Wanda wrinkles her nose. "Anyway, that's why he left. He was staying in Chicago, writing the book." She explains.

"Ya didn' tell him about me, did ya?" She inquires worriedly.

"No. He asked where I was staying and I just told him it was with a friend. I didn't offer any particulars and he didn't ask."

"Okay." Marie releases the breath she was holding. She grins at Wanda. "So, Pyro found ya, huh?" She teases, nudging her friend.

"Yeah, he did. He wants to see me again tonight." She laughingly informs Marie, lightly shoving her in return.

"Aww, that's great. I'm happy for ya, Wands." Marie smiles genuinely. Just because she's given up on dating, doesn't mean that she expects the same from Wanda.

"Marie, do you ever think that maybe you should let Remy know he has a son?" Wanda asks out of the blue. Marie has told her on numerous occasions that she doesn't want to go through the hassle of dating again. Especially with a child who needs her more.

Marie looks down, biting her lip. "All tha time." She says softly.

"Why don't you?" Wanda questions gently, feeling terrible for her friend.

"Cause I don' think I could take it if he's with someone else." She replies, deep sadness coloring her tone.

"Oh Marie, you're still in love with him, aren't you?"

"Sometimes I wonder if I will ever get over him, but then I think ta myself, 'Do I really wanna?'. She miserably responds.

"The two of you were in love. You had the real deal, Marie. I've always wondered why you never confronted him about that little conniver, Monet."

"Ugh. Don' say that name around me again. I jus' felt so....betrayed, hurt, angry....I couldn' deal with anythin' at tha time. After I lef', I thought about goin' back, especially after findin' out about Eti comin' an' all, but I jus' couldn'...." Marie trails off as tears flood her eyes.

Wanda gently rubs her back. "You couldn't bear the 'what if's'." She quietly confirms as Marie nods. "But that doesn't answer the question of why no one else came for you. I mean, they all talk as if you were one, large family, but no word? Nothing at all?"

Marie looks away and buries her head in her knees.

"Oh no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you more." Wanda tries to soothe her as Eti wakes up. He moves over to his mother and mimics Wanda's actions.

"Don' cwy, Mama. Eti here." His small voice pipes up, causing Marie to lift her head and gather her son to her.

Wanda berates herself for causing her dear friend pain. "Let's go home. I think we've been here long enough." She surmises, enlisting Eti's help in picking things up. He then takes his mother's hand.

"I help Mama not cwy." He tells her, making her wonder yet again if he doesn't have his father's empathetic ability.

XXXXXXXXXX

Remy drives down to the beach cottage on Saturday, taking his time to get there. He arrives late on Sunday afternoon and decides to stop at the grocery store to stock the empty cupboards. As he is getting into his car to make the drive over, a familiar figure runs over to him, laughing maniacally and shouting; "Mate! Remy! Reeeemmmmyyy!" John launches himself at the Cajun, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Whoa dere, Johnny! Long time, no see." Remy smiles at the Aussie. "So what brings y' here?"

"Finishin' me book tour, mate. Took me a long time, but I got the last book done, then I had a world-wide book tour. Didn't want the rest o' those blokes knowin' me business, so I snuck out and stole one o' your bikes. I went to Chicago, then me tour."

Remy laughs out loud for the first time in ages.

"So _dat's_ what happened t' Scooter's bike. Wondered where it went."

"Ooh bugger. Didn't know that, mate. I just grabbed the first one I saw."

"Don' worry, homme. It was a bigger tragedy watchin' him _ride_ it." Remy replies with a chuckle.

"So where's that Rogue sheila? The last time I saw ya, you were talkin' about marryin' her. Did ya?" John queries with excitement.

"Non. I don' wan' t' talk 'bout it. It's complicated." Remy says sadly.

"Oh, sorry mate. You won't believe who I ran into not too long ago."

"Who would dat be?" Remy queries with minor interest.

"Wanda. We had a date Friday _and _last night." John informs him proudly.

"Really? What would de rouge femme be doin' here?" Remy asks curiously.

"She told me she was livin' here with a friend o' hers."

"Hmm...wonder what made her-" Remy stops suddenly, putting the pieces together. Wanda left the same day as......

"Marie." He whispers urgently.

"What was that, mate?" John questions.

"Long story, Johnny. Look, I gotta go now, but if y' see Wanda befo' I do, ask her if she lives wit' Rogue." Remy replies hurriedly, climbing into his car.

"Well, okay Remy. I'll pass that along. It was good seein' ya." John waves as Remy speeds off for downtown.

"Gotta fin' her. Gotta fin' mon Rogue." Remy mutters as he slowly cruises the streets on his way to the store, looking at the faces of passers-by. He pulls into a parking space and enters the store, grabbing a cart and beginning his trek up and down the aisles. He's perusing the myriad of cereal varieties and finally selects one, brushing hands with a woman reaching for the same kind.

"Oh, de-I mean, sorry." He apologizes and looks up, amazement on his face.

"No, I-" The young woman starts, then stops suddenly, standing stock-still. After a moment, she turns and runs blindly down the aisle."

"_Here we go, again."_ Is the thought running through his mind as he takes off after her. "Rogue! Marie!" He shouts, seeing her get into her car and quickly driving off. He does the same.

"I ain' losin' her this time." He murmurs as he follows her.

Marie manages to shake him from her trail and she parks the car, running into her apartment. She runs to her bedroom, crying uncontrollably.

"Eti, I want you to play right here. If anyone comes to the door, come get me, okay?" Wanda gently orders the little boy.

"Okay. I be good boy." Eti tells her. She smiles and goes back to the room that she shares with Marie. She finds the other woman face-down on her bed and sits by her.

"What happened? Did some idiot do something?" Wanda inquires, knowing this is not the case. Marie gets angry and temperamental when those instances occur.

Marie gazes up at Wanda in heart-wrenching agony. "I saw him." She informs her hoarsely.

"Saw who?"

"Who else? Remy." Marie closes her eyes in anguish."

Wanda looks at her in shock. "He's _here_?"

"Saw him at tha Winn-Dixie." Marie grabs a kleenex and wipes her eyes, then her nose.

"Marie, you need to talk to him. Tell him about Eti and let him give his explanation for what happened that day. This has gone on long enough. Was he with anyone?"

"No, but that doesn' necessarily mean anythin'."

"You won't know, unless you ask. Now if I know Remy, and through you, I do, he would have followed you and knows what kind of car you drive and possibly your plate number. I imagine he will show up, so I'm going to take your handsome boy and take him into town for awhile. That way, you have a chance to explain everything to Remy. We will stay out until tonight, so you have plenty of time. I want you to at least talk to him, Marie. You need this." Wanda tells her as she embraces her briefly, then walks out, letting Eti know that they're going to go into town for awhile and if he is good, then they'd stop for ice cream. He is all for that idea, eagerly grabbing her hand to leave.

Remy drives up and down the streets. He doesn't care if he has to go down every one in the city to find her. Seeing her in the store reinforced his belief that he still loves her. He knows now that he doesn't want to live his life without her in it.

He turns down a street that has two apartment complexes. They are a bit worn, but the grounds are well-tended. Slowing down, he makes his way along the street, waving at a couple of people. Just as he is approaching the end of the street, he spies what he has been looking for. Marie's car.

Remy breathes a silent prayer of gratitude and pulls into the lot, parking his car next to hers.

"Now t' fin' out which apartment is hers." He tells himself, going to the first door. Knocking, it doesn't take long for the occupant to answer.

"Can I help ya?" The middle-aged lady asks in a friendly, open manner.

"Yes, you could. I was wonderin' if y' know where Marie lives. She's 'bout average height an' has beautiful auburn hair wit' two white streaks in de front." He questions hopefully.

"Say no more, I know jus' who ya talkin' about." She responds cheerily. "Why do ya wan' ta know?" The neighbor asks curiously.

"'M a friend o' hers from up nort', where she used t' live." He explains.

"Oh, I see. She lives ta tha right a me. I'm sure she'll be excited ta see ya again."

"We'll see. T'anks." He grins and turns in the direction given to him as she closes the door.

Steeling himself, he walks over and stands in front of Marie's door.

"C'mon homme, y've waited t'ree years f'r dis moment. Y' can do dis." He whispers encouragingly to himself as he raises his fist.

Marie sits in her chair, waiting for Remy's certain arrival. Wanda is right. It is time to get all of this out in the open. She jumps at the knock on the door and her heart hammers in her chest. Slowly, she makes her way to the door, dreading, yet anticipating opening it. Marie opens the door and at the sight of Remy, covers her mouth with a hand and breaks down, sobbing.

Remy thinks nothing of reaching out and pulling her close to him. How he has missed holding her close, stroking her soft, silky hair, smelling her sweet magnolia scent. He tenderly wraps an arm around her, guiding her into her living room and seats her on the couch, next to him. Reaching up, he wipes the tears from her eyes, gazing at her with soul-deep hurt. It is almost her undoing as he lays a hand on her cheek.

"Why'd y' leave me?" Remy finally manages to ask. "Y' didn' even give me a chance t' explain what really happened."

"Remy, ya were makin' out with her, one step away from takin' it all tha way." Rogue responds dully, her voice coming out as not much more than a croak.

"Non, dat was what Monet wanted y' t' believe. Chere, she came ont' me an' used her abilities t' make it t' where I couldn' push her away. I was tryin', but she wouldn' let me. I never asked her t' my room, let alone willin'ly touch her. Marie, ot'er dan dat, not'in' happened, je promets. I'd never do dat t' y'. I only wanted y', cherie." He softly replies, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

Marie closes her eyes painfully. If she'd only let him explain, let him have his say. She opens her eyes and looks up at him woefully. "I'm sorry for leavin' ya without givin' ya a chance an' not trustin' ya, Remy. There's jus' one thing I don' understan', though. Why, if ya loved me so much, didn' ya look for me? Do ya know how much that hurt? Ta feel like no one cares?" She rises from the sofa, a spark of her old anger resurfacing. "I spent three years, _three years_ in sufferin', wonderin' why ya never looked for me, why any a tha others didn' come. It's not like I left the friggin' country!" She shouts, turning her back to him.

"Dat's where y'r wrong, Rogue." Remy states, a trace of impatience bleeding into his tone as he stands behind her. She flinches at the use of her codename. "I followed y' as soon as I freed m'self from de leech. I wen' t' y'r room, only t' fin' y'r ring an' an empty closet. I wen' all over, tryin' t' fin' y', even goin' t' de Brot'erhood, t' see if y' were dere, only t' fin' out dat y' lef' jus' a few minutes befo' wit' Wanda. I rode f'r days, tryin' anyt'in' I could t' fin' y'. Struck out every time. I wen' back an' we _all_ tried t' fin' y'. Professeur used Cerebro, he had de senior team combin' de entire country f'r y'. I came down sout' t' try again. Every time we came up empty. Don' tell me we didn' look f'r y', cuz we did!"

"Y-ya did? Ya really looked for me?" Marie turns back around, gazing at him searchingly.

"Y' must've hid y'self well. I came t'rough here a few mont's aft'r y' lef'. Were y' here de entire time?"

"I was, but I didn' go out too much for several months."

"Why's dat? Were y' sick?" His gaze becomes concerned. He's never known Rogue to be sick before.

"Other than sick at heart, no. Remy, I got somethin' very important ta tell ya. I-I never knew it would be this hard ta tell ya, but...." She trails off uncertainly.

"Marie, y' can tell me anyt'in. Y' know dat." His eyes caress her as he takes her hands in his.

"I-I think ya should sit down for this."

"Dat big, huh?" He asks with minor teasing as he does what's requested of him.

Marie bites her lip, then takes a deep breath. "....I have a child, Remy." She manages to choke out, just above a whisper.

Remy stiffens at the admission, the implications playing through his mind. "Who wit'?" He finally questions soberly. "Never min'. I don' t'ink I wan' t' know." He answers woodenly, his heart a frozen lump in his chest. He scrubs a palm over his face and looks away.

"With ya." Rogue admits, sitting across from him on the coffee table and looking down at her hands.

It takes several minutes to register in his mind, then he looks back at her in wounded astonishment.

"Moi? Y' mean de petit is mine?" He queries hoarsely.

Marie nods. "We have a boy, Remy. He's tha mos' beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on." She tells him honestly.

Remy stands again and paces the room. "I can' believe y' didn' tell me sooner. Y' couldn' call an' tell me dat I had a fils? Dat y' were pregnant? Why would y' keep somet'in' dis impo'tant t' y'self all dese years, Marie? I had a right t' know!" He shouts wrathfully.

As Marie stands to hotly retort, she realizes that he is right. Eti is his son and he had every right to know that, no matter what.

"Ya right." She agrees softly, causing him to turn around and look at her in surprise. "I shoulda called ya right after I found out I was pregnant, no matter who woulda answered tha phone. Ya don' know how many times I wanted ta do jus' that. Ta jus' hear ya voice again. I wanted ta tell ya, I did, but I didn' think I could stand it if ya were with someone else." Rogue looks at him beseechingly, willing him to understand.

"Dat's no excuse, an' y' know it. I have a chil' I don' even know! Do y' know how much dat wounds me t' de core? Dere wasn' anyone else. I spent dese years wonderin' what happened t' y'. Guess now I know." He retorts darkly, striding to the door and yanking it open, walking out into the night.

Marie sinks onto the couch, her distress mixing with self-recrimination. That's the trouble with 'what-if's'. All they bring is more problems.

Wanda and Eti arrive a short time later, to find her in the same place.

"Marie! Marie!" Wanda nudges her, finally getting her attention. Marie looks down to find her son watching her.

"Did ya have a good time with Auntie Wanda?" She questions, slipping into her mommy role.

"Yeah. We go ta toy store an'-an' we get ice cweam!" He informs his mother happily.

"That sounds fun! It's ya bed time, so we'll get ya a bath an' then ya gotta go ta sleep."

"Aww..." He whines.

"Etienne." His mother warns him.

With a pout, he allows his mama to lead him into the bathroom.

After assuring herself that he is asleep, she heads back into the living room, knowing that Wanda is waiting to hear what happened.

"I take it by the way you were spaced-out, that things didn't go too well." Wanda surmises quietly, gazing sympathetically at her friend.

"What do ya expect?" Marie snorts. "I leave without hearin' his side a tha story an' then I find out I'm pregnant and keep it ta myself. Oh yeah, things are peachy-keen between us!" Marie rasps out sarcastically. "Now he never wants ta see me again. I think he might even hate me. Not that I blame him. I jumped ta conclusions, thinkin' tha worst a tha man I loved." She mutters in disgust.

"Marie, if you still love him, and I know that you do, then you need to do everything you can to make this right."

"Ya didn' see him when he lef'. I never saw him that angry."

"Think about why that is. How would you feel, if you were in his shoes?"

"I've thought about nothin' else since he lef'."

"Then as your best friend, I'm telling you to find him. Tell him everything he wants to know about Eti. Try again, Marie. There's still a chance that he loves you. He's just had the rug pulled out from under him and he has to adjust. Give him some time to think and cool off, then find him."

"I still love him, Wanda. Ya right. Seein' him tanight showed me that my feelin's haven' changed."

"You two need to work out your differences if you're wanting him back."

"Yeah, I know. Listen, it's been a long day. I'm goin' ta bed. Besides, I need ta be at tha diner by 6."

"Oh. I've got to be at the salon by 3, so that works out great."

"Well then, I guess we'd both better get some sleep. See ya in tha mornin'."

"See ya." Wanda replies. She hopes that Remy and Marie can get past everything that happened, not only for their sakes, but for their son's.


	3. Raw

_**A/N: Here's Part 3. Thanks to dholefire, tenchi13, Team-JEdward2010, XOXheartAmy and k-hunter2000 for adding this to their Story Alerts, helikesitheymikey, and roguelover321 for adding this to faves and to marshmallow jam for adding this not only to Story Alert, but to faves as well. Super awesome! In the first chap, I forgot to change Rogue's POV to say that the event with Monet happened a week later, not the day after.**_

Remy arrives back at the beach house and angrily charges through, shucking his shirt and throwing it on the couch, not caring exactly where it lands. Blind fury makes him unable to stay still, so he stalks out the back door and runs along the beach, until the muscles in his legs are screaming at him to at least slow down. Needless to say, he finds himself a good distance from the house, indeed, he can no longer see it. He bends over, taking several deep breaths, then sits at the edge of the water, removing his shoes and allowing the waves to lap over his feet. Remy scrubs both palms over his face and stares out at the water.

"What was she t'inkin'?" He asks himself, his voice betraying the raw pain inside. "She gave birt' t' our fils an' didn' even tell me. 'M a pere an' never knew 'bout it."

A maelstrom of emotions and thoughts are churning through his mind as his head rests on his knees. Standing and grabbing his shoes hours later, he slowly walks back to the house, noticing the lightening sky in the east. It barely registers that he's been in that spot for many hours, but then again, he's not exactly coherent at the moment. After going inside, he changes and crawls into bed, emotionally and physically spent.

The night is no easier on Marie. She tosses and turns with her tormented thoughts, always returning to the look on Remy's face when he left. She definitely took the wrong course of action when it came down to it. The fact that she still loves him causes her no end of anguish, especially when it seems like he wants nothing more to do with her. Marie buries her head in her pillow and grieves over her impetuosity. After a fitful sleep, she turns over to see that there's only half an hour left before she has to wake up, so she decides to get up early, deciding that it would be futile to attempt going back to sleep.

Getting into her uniform, she wearily shuffles into the kitchen and puts the coffee on. She sits at the table with some buttered toast. Her appetite isn't much today, for obvious reasons. She doesn't even want the toast, but she forces herself to eat, knowing the consequences of working all day on an empty stomach. Right before she leaves for the day, she sneaks into Eti's room and lightly brushes a kiss to his tousled hair.

Arriving at work, she clocks in just as Ella, the other waitress, breezes in.

"Whoa, what happened ta ya? Ya look terrible, Marie!" Ella oh so tactfully points out.

"Gee, thanks, Ell. I needed ta hear that. By tha way, ya didn' completely cover tha hickey on ya neck." Marie observes smartly as Ella runs to the ladies' room, blushing furiously. Randy, the cook, snorts at Ella's quick retreat.

"Wonder what poor guy she's datin' now an' how long it'll be before she gets tired a him." He drily comments, making Marie chuckle just a bit. "That's better. Why ya lookin' so down taday? Ya look like ya los' ya bes' friend an' ya dog at tha same time."

"Maybe cuz I did." She answers quietly, the sorrow resurfacing on her face.

"Ya an' Wanda fussin'?" He asks, immediately concerned.

"No. It's not Wanda that's tha problem."

Randy's face darkens. "That Jesse's not givin' ya problems, is he? Cuz if he is-"

"It ain' Jesse, either. I haven' seen him since Friday, after I shut him down, again. It's jus'...it's a long, complicated story an' I can' talk about it. Not now."

"Okay, but if ya ever need someone ta talk ta, ya know where ta fin' me."

A ghost of a smile crosses Marie's lips. "I know, an' ya a good friend. Thanks." She glances over at the door when a customer walks in and takes a seat. "Looks like I've got a customer." Marie pours a glass of water and picks up a menu, taking it over to the young man. She gasps in surprise.

"John?"

"Rogue! It's been forever, sheila!" John stands and merrily grabs Rogue, spinning her around.

"John, put me down! I gotta work, an' it's Marie, now. People look at ya strange if ya goin' around with a codename." Rogue jokes.

"Oy, they look at me strangely, anyway. So why are ya workin' here?"

Rogue laughs slightly. "I've been workin' here for tha pas' couple a years."

"Really? I thought you and Remy were gettin' on so well, the way he'd go on about ya and how he was gonna marry you and all. Drove Petey and me barmy as bandicoots with his yammerin'." John laughs.

"Yeah. Things didn' work out quite that way, John. Have ya decided what ya wan'?" Marie questions, changing the subject.

"Yeah, I'll have a cuppa and the...sunrise special."

"Okay. Comin' right up, sugah." Rogue replies, knowing exactly what he's talking about, since she would go out to breakfast with Remy, meeting up with Wanda and John. She grins, remembering the first time they'd gone out and he ordered a 'cuppa'. The waitress shot him a weird look then asked him what a 'cuppa' was. He sat there for five full minutes, complaining about how no one here knew what a 'cuppa' was and launched into a litany of Aussie slang, causing Remy to crack up laughing, since he lived with John and heard all of that before. She returns to the table with a cup of coffee and syrup with extra butter for his pancakes.

"Aah, now that's the stuff." He replies as she sets it in front of him and sashays to the next table. A short time later, she brings over a large plate, brimming with pancakes, sausage and hash browns. There is a small lull in customer activity, so she sits across from him with a cup of coffee, taking a break.

"So, I hear ya an' Wands are datin'." She states slyly, with an impish grin.

"Too right! I'm happy as Larry with my scarlet sheila. So, what happened with you and Remy?"

"Misunderstandin's mainly. Jus' a bunch a stuff that I thought was, but now I find out that wasn' tha case at all."

"Too bad. How did ya end up here?"

"Those misunderstandin's again. I made a mistake an' ran. Isn' a day that goes by that I don' regret that decision." Marie looks down morosely, worrying the edge of her napkin.

"Well, maybe he'll take ya back. You know he's here, don't you?" John questions enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I know. We...ran inta each other an'...he followed me back ta my place." The napkin is becoming a pile of shreds on the table.

"Did ya kiss and make-up?" John asks playfully, then sobers at the look on her face.

"No. I-I can' go inta it now. I got customers." Marie bolts up out of her seat, but doesn't wait on her customers. Instead, she runs to the ladies' room, tears pooling in her eyes as John gazes worriedly after her.

Randy glares daggers into John. He's busy with orders, so he can't leave the kitchen. Marie comes out a moment later and grabs water glasses and menus. She groans inwardly, when she sees that one of her customers is none other than Jesse.

"Well, if it isn' tha prettiest waitress in town." Jesse winks flirtatiously, which gets Marie a dirty look from Ella.

"I tol' ya I ain' interested, Jesse. I don' date, ya know that." She tells him firmly.

"Ooh, shot down again, Jess!" One of his co-workers crows as the table's occupants laugh.

"Don' worry, guys. She'll warm up ta me in no time." He states confidently, making her roll her eyes.

"Yeah, right." She mutters blackly as she takes the order up to the window.

Pyro stares in outrage at Jesse as the man openly admires Marie's backside.

"Oy! Leave my friend alone, ya nong!" John shouts, drawing the entire table's attention.

"I can look at her all I wanna!" Jesse shoots back.

"What's a 'nong'?" One of the other guys questions the man next to him.

"I dunno, but it can' be good." Both guys look back at the action unfolding before their eyes. John and Jesse are glaring at each other, standing toe to toe.

"I told ya to leave Marie alone. She's my friend." John speaks through gritted teeth.

"An' I tol' ya that I can look at her all I wanna." Jesse retorts angrily.

"Ya think so, huh?" Marie stalks up to them, fury clearly written on her features. "In case ya didn' know, I ain' no one's plaything an' I don' like havin' my behin' stared at!" She gives Jesse her death glare and before he can say anything, strikes out with her fist, catching him in the jaw.

"No one stares at my behin'. No one! Y'all got me?" She glances around the room, noticing every male eye turning guiltily away, looking anywhere but at her as Randy rushes out from the kitchen.

"Alright, Jesse. I've had it with ya comin' in here an' harassin' my help. Ya can' come in here no more. Consider yaself banned from my diner." He takes Jesse by the arm and tosses him out the door.

"Y'all can go back ta ya meals now. Tha afternoon's entertainment is over." He informs the patrons as he makes his way back to Marie.

"Ya alright?" He queries, shooting a glance at John.

"Yeah. Haven' done that in ages. It felt kinda good." Marie grins, causing John to laugh as she begins to clean up the mess made when Jesse was knocked back.

"Oh man, Remy'll be sore that he missed ya kickin' butt." John humorously points out.

"This guy okay?" Randy jerks his thumb in John's direction.

"He's fine, Randy. John's a friend from my former home." Marie explains.

"Okay. As long as ya say so. Who's Remy?" He asks curiously.

"Someone I really don' wanna talk about, right now." Marie answers tersely, continuing her cleaning with renewed vigor.

Randy and John share a look. They both know that tone of voice, so they decide they like life and leave her alone. The cook motions John outside, under the pretense of walking with him to his rental.

"So, who's this Remy guy?" He inquires quietly. John is more than happy to tell him their story. What he knows of it, anyway.

After her shift ends, Marie knows she has enough time to return to the store and pick up the things she left yesterday, given her sudden departure. She heads down the cereal aisle and picks up the box he was reaching for yesterday, the brief memory breaking the surface of her mind. This was Remy's favorite. He always had some on hand, for those mornings when the mood struck him. She smiles sadly and returns the box to its place, picking up the chocolate cereal Eti loves.

"_Will I ever be able to look at anything and not think of Remy in some way?"_ She questions inwardly, as regret stabs mercilessly at her again. She shakes her head and bites her lip, knowing that she will always be reminded of him, especially through their son. "I wish I hadn' run." She murmurs to herself as she loads the car with the groceries.

Remy awakens in the middle of the afternoon. Sitting up in the bed, he stretches and groans as his stomach growls. Smacking his forehead with his palm, he realizes that he abandoned his shopping last night in the pursuit of Marie.

"Well, dat was a waste o' time." He mutters darkly to himself as he reluctantly leaves his nest of covers and walks into the bathroom. Finishing his shower, he gets dressed in his most favorite jeans and a Harley T-shirt, stopping long enough to grab his wallet.

As he pulls into the parking lot of the Winn-Dixie, he sees Marie's car pulling away. Anger and pain burst through and he smacks the steering wheel with his hand. He takes a few moments to collect himself and enters the store to stock up.

When he gets into the check-out line, a brunette arrives, standing right behind him, looking him over with a coy grin.

"My, my. Ya mus' be a tourist, cuz I've never seen ya around these parts before. Believe me, I'd remember a sexy thing like ya." She purrs seductively. "I'm Ella, an' ya are....?"

"Not interested." He says curtly, returning his attention to the front of the line.

"Oh, pshaw. Ya can' tell me that a guy like ya doesn' enjoy a night out with an attractive woman." She persists.

"Used t'. Not anymore." He doesn't even bother looking back.

"Aww, c'mon, darlin'. Ya an' I could have tons a fun." She replies demurely, taking a finger and idly stroking his arm.

He turns around and takes her hand, forcibly removing it. "What part o' 'no' don' y' understan'? I tol' y' I ain' interested!" He answers fiercely.

"Fine. It's not like there ain' any other men around." She retorts in a snotty tone.

Remy takes a relieved breath when he arrives at his car. He quickly grew weary of her continually checking him out, even after he'd told her off. Driving back to the beach house, he unloads the car and just as he gets everything put away, his cell phone rings. He presses the 'accept' button.

"What y' needin', Johnny?" Remy questions with a trace of a grin.

"So how's your vacay goin', mate?" John asks merrily.

"Not so good, homme." Remy answers.

"Why so glum?"

"Jus' a bunch o' stuff." Remy murmurs.

"Well I've got just the thing ta turn that frown upside-down, friend. Did ya know Rogue's here?"

"Yeah. I knew." Remy replies flatly.

"Why, I thought you'd be thrilled, mate!"

"John, she ran from me t'ree years ago. Ran wit'out givin' me a chance t' explain what happened."

"I didn't know that, Remy. All I know was when I saw her in the diner today, she didn't look happy." John informs him seriously, which is unusual for him.

"Yeah, I found her, followed her t' her place, we fought a bit, then I lef'." Remy condenses the events, not saying too much.

"Sorry, mate. Ya gotta try that diner though. The food's really rip-snorter!" The Australian's cheery demeanor is back.

"Might have t' try it, sometime." Remy says dismissively.

"You should. Here, let me give ya the directions." John dictates them to Remy. "I almost forgot to tell ya, mate. You should've seen the sheila. There was this drongo hitting on her and checking out her bum. I stood up for her, but she came over and just knocked him for a loop! Man, it was classic!" John cackles.

A surge of familiar protectiveness rises up in Remy. "Y' say some idiotte hit on Marie?" He questions idly, but anyone who knows him is aware that inside, he is seething.

"Yeah, he did. She handled it great, though. No worries, mate."

"Oui, she always could handle herself jus' fine." Remy agrees. "Look, mon ami, I gotta go now. Got some t'ings dat need doin'."

"Oh, no problem. I gotta get ready for my date, anyway." John tells him gleefully.

Remy chuckles a bit at that. "Have fun, Johnny. Jus' don' piss her off." He attempts to joke.

John laughs. "No, we don't want that now, do we?"

"If I see y' go flyin', I'll know y' did." Remy teases.

They chuckle and end the call. Remy sets to fixing himself something for dinner as his thoughts settle on a familiar auburn-haired woman. His frustration and anger mounts at the impasse they are at. It amazes him how he is beyond furious with her for what she did, but yet he wants to take her in his arms again and not let go this time. He is torn inside, unsure of what to do about her at this point. One thing he plans to do soon is try to get to know his son. Marie owes him at least that. He wonders if she's even told the boy about him.

Marie arrives back home to Eti's effusive greeting, as usual. She loves coming home to her little boy. Time spent with him is the brightest part of her day. As she watches him play in the sandbox at the park a short distance from the complex, her mind wanders. She sees so much of Remy in Eti. Not just in outward looks, indeed the resemblance between the two is uncanny. Marie imagines that Remy looked much like Eti as a small boy. Eti's mannerisms are much like his father's. The way he seemed to catch on to his mother's moods and act accordingly, how he would try to wheedle her into letting him do things, his natural grace. She laughs lightly as she returns to the present, seeing Eti dump a bucket of sand onto one of his trucks.

She knows what she must do now. Regardless of whether Remy would be willing to take her back or not, it's past time that he meets and comes to know the beautiful little boy they created together.

_**A/N 2: Hopefully I didn't butcher the Aussie slang too badly. I looked it up on the Internet, but it didn't tell me how to use it in sentences. The conclusion will be the next chapter, then I need to concentrate on 'Finding a Place to Call Home'.**_

_***barmy as bandicoots-insane**_

_***cuppa-cup of tea or coffee**_

_***Too right-an emphatic affirmation**_

_***happy as Larry-very happy**_

_***Oy-hey**_

_***Nong-idiot**_

_***rip-snorter-fantastic**_

_***drongo-imbecile**_

_**Review, pweeeease? Eti wants you to.**_


	4. Resolution and Returning

_**A/N: Here we are at the final installment. I thank all of you for your wonderful reviews and for placing it in your alerts. Chellerbelle, I forgot to add in my reply that my favorite saying was the 'barmy as bandicoots' one. Hehehe....I love that one. Anyway, thanks to mysterygurl13 for adding this to Story Alert and gamb1t for adding this to faves! :) This will have a happy ending, because I don't like sad ones. Oh well, onward we go.**_

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, they still aren't mine, although I am holding Remy captive and don't plan on letting him go! Yeah, right, only in my (wild) dreams. *sigh* ;)**

Several days pass by, finding Marie at the park with Eti. At first, they are the only ones there, taking advantage of the beautiful day. A bit later, as she's pushing him on a swing, a man shows up with his son. Eti watches the two interact curiously.

"Dat one wooks diffwent, Mama." Eti points toward the man as Marie and he walk toward an available bench.

"Don' point, sweetie. That's a man."

"What's a man?" He looks at her in confusion.

"Well, a man is someone who used ta be a little boy, like ya are, honey."

"Are you a man, Mama?"

Marie giggles. "No, Eti. I'm a woman. A woman is someone who used ta be a little girl, like I was."

"Oh. Dat one wooks wike me. Is dat a boy?"

"Yes, he's a little boy, jus' like ya are." Marie explains patiently.

"Den why is da man wif him? He should have a mama, wike me." Eti reasons.

Marie realizes that she has the perfect opening. The time has come.

"That man is tha boy's daddy, Etienne. An' he might have a mama at home." She states, all the while anticipating the boy's next question.

"Why don' I have a daddy, Mama?" He gazes at her in total bewilderment, with a slight bit of hurt in his eyes.

She takes a moment to gather her thoughts, her heart breaking at his expression.

"Ya do, sweetheart. Ya have a daddy." Marie pulls him onto her lap.

"Why isn' he here wif me?"

"Well a lotta bad things happened, before ya were born an'-an' I lef'. I'm so sorry I kept ya from knowin' ya daddy, baby." Marie starts to cry, thinking again of how she's robbed this precious boy of knowing his father from birth. She resolves anew to have Remy meet this precocious, smart boy of theirs.

"Don' cwy, Mama! I wuv ya." He reaches up and wraps his little arms around her neck.

"Ya a good boy, Eti. Mama loves ya so much. I don' know what I'd do without ya, kiddo." She returns his hug.

"What's my daddy wook wike?" Eti questions as she takes out a tissue to wipe her eyes.

Marie gives him a wobbly smile. "Ya look jus' like him, darlin'. Ya have his hair an' eye color, an' ya even act a lot like him, too. I named ya after him." Marie snuggles him close to her side.

"Is his name Eti, too?" He gazes at her with keen interest.

Marie laughs, making him giggle. "No, silly. Ya daddy's name is Rembrandt Etienne LeBeau, but he likes ta be called Remy. Ya's is Etienne Rembrandt LeBeau. I jus' switched ya firs' an' middle names."

"Can I meet him?" Eti inquires, excitement shining in his ruby on ebony depths.

Her heart clenches in her chest. _"No, no, you're going to do this! Those two deserve to be in each others' lives."_ "I'll see what I can do, honey." She tells him softly as he throws his arms around her again, then jumps off the bench and runs to his favorite pastime, the sandbox.

They return home awhile later as Wanda is coming out of the bathroom.  
"Oh hey! How was the park?" Wanda asks Eti.

"Fine. Mama says I can meet my daddy." He informs her enthusiastically.

"Wow. Bet that'll be special. You know what? I know your daddy, too." Wanda tells him.

"You do?" His eyes are as wide as dinner plates.

"I sure do, and you know what? He's a really nice man." Wanda smiles at him, shooting a look at Marie.

"When are ya gonna ask him, Mama?" Eti queries as he winds an arm around her leg.

She affectionately ruffles his hair. "Jus' as soon as I can. I promise, darlin'. Wanda, can I see ya for a minute?"

"Sure."

"Eti, why don' ya play in ya room for a bit while Auntie an' I talk for a minute." Marie gently requests.

"'Kay, Mama." Eti scampers off happily to his room as Marie and Wanda sit on the couch.

"I see you told him about Remy." Wanda observes with a sympathetic grin.

"Yeah. It was time an' tha opportunity presented itself in tha form of a father playin' with his son." Marie informs her with a rueful grin of her own.

"You gonna be okay?" Wanda asks.

"I don' know. I mean, Remy an' Eti have been kept apart long enough. I don' wan' Eti sufferin' for lack of havin' a father in his life. Remy doesn' deserve that punishment either. It was all a stupid mistake, Wanda. Nothin' happened with that tramp an they _did _try ta fin' me."

"You're kidding. You mean...?"

"Yeah. I thought tha worst an' I ran, stayin' away all this time. Turns out I was completely wrong."

"Oh, wow. Marie, I...."

"Don'." Marie holds up a hand. "There's nothin' ya can say ta make me feel better about this. I screwed up royally an' now I'm payin' for it. I'm gonna go out for awhile. I'm jus'...." Marie looks at Wanda morosely.

"I understand, Marie. Go. Take all the time you need. I got a raise today and I was going to take us out tonight, but I think I might just order-in instead. I'm pretty beat."

"Oh Wanda, I'm sorry! If ya wanna go out, I'll keep it short."

"Nuh-uh. You need to work through this. Besides, I think Eti would enjoy playing with John."

"Yeah, Eti isn' too good in grown-up restaurants yet an'....ohh, I see how it is." Marie gives Wanda a mischievous smirk. "I don' believe ya were thinkin' a Eti when it came ta 'playin'' with John."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Wanda replies primly, but a light blush grazes her cheeks.

"Suure ya don'." Marie teases. "Jus' make sure my _son _doesn' have _too_ much fun with Pyro." She chuckles wickedly as she leaves.

Remy stands on the spacious deck, gazing out toward the water. Days have passed and scorching fury has subsided into wounded anger. He knows that Rogue is a wonderful mother, remembering when they would talk about starting a family, once they were married. She was so excited about finally having control over her draining ability, since she had such a strong desire to have children. He smiles grimly at the memory. Little did he know that events would unfold the way they did. As he pushes himself off of the railing, he notices a solitary figure slowly moving along the edge of the water. _"I'd know that figure anywhere."_ He muses, well-aware of every line and curve of the woman before him, her back turned and her hair windblown. Marie always did look incredible in shorts.

"C'mon homme, get a hold o' y'rself." He murmurs in frustration.

It almost seems magnetic, the way he is drawn to her. Indeed, he discovers that he is moving toward her, as if an invisible force is controlling him.

"Penny for y'r t'oughts." He murmurs, drawing a startled gasp from Marie.

"Swamp Rat, how many times have I tol' ya..." She yells, then suddenly stops and purses her lips. "Sorry, ol' habit." She says quietly.

"'S okay, Marie. Reminds me o' when t'ings were bon b'tween us, non?" Marie can hear the hurt in his voice as he gives her a sad smile.

"Yeah. We had a lot a great times." She states, looking away.

Remy's empathy is driving him crazy with all the emotions she is projecting. One takes him by surprise, however. He reaches out, tucking a stray bit of white hair behind her ear in a well-known gesture. She shyly ducks her head.

"We need t' talk, Marie." He replies, intently gazing at her.

"I think it's long past time for that." Her eyes lock with his. How she has always adored his eyes.

"Stay for dinner?" He looks at her questioningly.

"What're ya havin'?" She asks, a small smile playing on her lips.

"T'ought I'd fix some sole filets on de grill an' I could put some p'tatoes in t' bake."

"Okay, ya convinced me." She lightly jokes, causing him to grin.

"I didn' know ya had a house here." Marie looks around at the expansive acommodations.

"I don'. Dis is Stormy's place. She jus' let me borrow it while 'm here." He informs her, noticing when she looks away with a pained expression.

"How are they?" Marie questions softly.

"Everyone's bon. Dey all miss y'." He answers quietly, turning to put the potatoes in the oven.

"They do?"

"Oui. Marie, like I tol' y', we _all_ looked for y'. Everyone wanted y' t' come back. De chaton nearly fell apart when we couldn' fin' y', not t' mention moi!" He angrily jams a hand in his hair, looking at her with raw anguish in his eyes.

"Remy...I'm so sorry." Marie tearfully replies. "I wish I could go back an' change tha way I reacted that day. I will always live, regrettin' not trustin' ya an' keepin' our son from ya. I don' blame ya if ya can' forgive me." She bursts into tears, burying her face in her arms on the table.

Remy stands and regards her thoughtfully for several moments. While he is still angry with her, he doesn't want things ending like this. He sighs and walks over to the table, pulls out a chair and sits by her. He can't help himself. Instinct takes over and he begins gently stroking her hair.

"C'mon now, chere. Calm down an' look at me." He tenderly commands her.

She gazes up at him sorrowfully. "I missed ya mos' a all. Every day I've been gone. Couldn' even so much as look at another guy without thinkin' a ya."

"I felt de same way. Y'r leavin' broke my heart. Dese years have been empty wit'out y'. Now I fin' out I have a fils. Why did y' keep him from me?" The torment in his expression is nearly her undoing.

"No reason I could give ya would be good enough, Remy. All I can say is that I wanted ta come back, but tha thought a seein' ya with someone else would change my min' every time. I couldn' bear that."

"Dere was never anyone else, Marie. Y' were de love o' my life. I could never fin' a femme dat could take y'r place." Remy cups her cheek in one hand, causing her to catch her breath in surprise.

"Were?" She questions in a whisper, her eyes mirroring his hurt.

"I need t' get dis off my chest." He tells her as he caresses her cheek with his thumb. "While 'm still upset wit' y', I wan' t' forgive y', not only because o' our fils, but because I wan' t' move on, t' get away from de past. Dat an' because I.....I've never stopped lovin' y', Marie."

Her expression reflects the shock coursing through her body at his admission. After the span of a couple of minutes, she realizes that he's waiting for her response.

"Oh Remy, I still love ya too. An' I'm ready ta move on, myself. I was wonderin' how I could get a hol' a ya an' tell ya ta come over an' meet Eti. He really wants ta meet his daddy." She informs him with a fond smile.

"Eti? What's dat short for?" Remy inquires curiously.

"I named him after ya. Eti is short for Etienne Rembrandt LeBeau." Marie gazes at him lovingly.

"Y' named our fils after me?" He asks in amazement.

"I never stopped lovin' ya, either. Namin' him after ya was my way a always havin' a part a ya aroun'. He looks jus' like ya, Remy." Marie replies happily.

"Tell me all about him." He requests, as a man dying of thirst would a sip of water.

As they eat dinner, she fills him in on everything about their little boy. When they finish, she consults her watch.

"Remy, if ya wan', ya can come with me an' get ta know him. There's still time before he has ta go ta bed." Marie invites.

"I'd love t'." He passes her a brilliant smile, one that she hasn't seen in years. Grabbing her hand, he walks with her to her car. She looks down at their intertwined hands with something akin to astonished confusion. Remy just grins at her, giving her no explanation.

"So, y' still got y'r Harley?" He asks her out-of-the-blue as she drives back to her place.

"Yeah, couldn' seem ta give it up, so I've got it in storage." She tells him. "Haven' been out ridin' since I found out that Eti was comin', though."

"Y' might have t' get it out, soon. Sounds like dis car's 'bout to give out on y'." He replies, listening closely to the engine.

"Shoot. Jus' what I need." Marie mutters blackly as they pull into her designated space. "Been tryin' ta keep it runnin' but if it's tha tranny..."

"It is." Remy answers back.

"Crap. Seems like everythin' hits at once." She growls as Remy turns and looks at her.

"No, not ya." She responds, reaching out and laying a hand on his arm. "Was talkin' about expenses."

He nods in understanding and escorts her up to her door, waiting as she unlocks it. They are met with the sight of John on the floor with Eti, building a castle out of Duplo blocks. Marie puts a hand over her mouth to smother the laugh threatening to burst out at the sight of John holding a plastic horse and making neighing sounds.

"Is dis what y' do wit' y'r spare time, homme?" Remy questions in idle amusement, leaning against the door-frame.

"O' course not, mate! The lil' tyke needed a horse, so I gave him one." John sputters indignantly.

"I not a tyke, I a boy." Eti informs him, causing his parents and Wanda to laugh.

"What is it with these blokes not knowin' any good Aussie slang?" John mutters disgustedly, then amuses himself with a plastic knight on the floor. He places this on the horse and goes back to playing, losing himself in his own little world.

"Mama!" Eti jumps up and rushes to Marie as she leans down to pick him up. Eti gazes at Remy with open curiosity.

"Were ya good for Auntie Wanda an' Uncle John?"

"Yeah. I always am." He announces proudly as Remy watches the interaction between mother and son. Marie is right, the boy looks just like him. Pain mixes with love and pride.

Marie glances over apologetically. "Eti, I have someone special I want ya ta meet, honey. Remember how ya tol' me ya wanted ta meet ya daddy?"

The boy nods enthusiastically. "Did ya tell him I wanna meet him?" He questions with shining eyes.

"Yeah, I did, sweetheart. This is ya daddy an' he wanted ta meet ya, too." Marie introduces the two.

"Are you weawy my daddy?" Eti asks inquisitively as Marie sets him back down on the floor. He walks over to Remy and looks up at him.

"Yeah, I am." Remy replies huskily, kneeling down and looking into his son's eyes that are the exact replica of his own.

"Where were ya?" Eti queries.

Remy does not know how to answer that. Not without placing blame, and he is reluctant to do so.

"'M sorry I wasn' here wit' y' an' I'll do m' bes' t' see t' it dat I am from now on. I love y' so much, Etienne. Do y' t'ink y' can put up wit' me bein' y'r daddy?" Remy questions hoarsely as his eyes fill with unshed tears.

"Yeah. You're never gonna weave me?" Eti peers at him uncertainly.

"Non, I promise. Y'r m' son an' I love y' an' y'r maman very much." Remy states seriously. Eti throws himself into Remy's arms.

"I wuv ya, Daddy." He tells him. Remy's eyes overflow as he holds his small son close. Marie watches the sweet exchange with wet cheeks, letting them have this time to themselves.

Wanda's eyes are suspiciously watery.

"Are ya cryin', luv?" John glances up at Wanda wonderingly. In all the time that he's known her, he's never seen her shed a tear.

"No, I'm not. It's just allergies and if you tell _anyone _about this, then you are dead." She growls threateningly and adds a glower for emphasis.

"Sure it is, Wands." He says agreeably as she raises an arm in warning. John jumps up off the floor and maniacally cackles as he runs into another room.

The remaining three look at her. "Let him be for awhile. He ran into the utility closet." She informs the group as she goes into the kitchen.

"Eti, it's ya bedtime." Marie gently tells the boy.

"But I don' wanna go!" He wails as he buries his head in his father's chest.

"Listen t' y'r maman, Etienne. Y'll see me again. I promised y', remember?" Remy gently pries the boy off, holds him at arms length and gazes tenderly at him.

Eti nods at his father. "Wiw ya come wif me?"

"C'mon, Eti. Daddy an' I will put ya ta bed, okay? We'll both stay til ya asleep." Marie entreats and holds her hand out to him.

"'Kay, Mama. C'mon, Daddy." Eti beckons.

After he is sleeping soundly, Remy and Marie head back into the living room.

"Wan' some coffee or somethin' ta drink?"

"Sure, I could do wit' some coffee, chere." Remy answers as he sits on the couch. "How y' been, Wanda?"

"Been good." She replies, casting a strange look at the closet where she hears murmuring.

"Glad y've been here t' help Marie wit' Eti. Y'r a bon amie."

"Thanks. Marie's my best friend and I would do anything for her. Besides, Eti's just amazing."

"Oui, I know. Marie's a fantastique mere."

"Thank ya, sugah." Marie replies, coming out of the kitchen and sitting by Remy. "Coffee's goin'."

"It's true. If I had a mere like y', I prob'ly would've been in a lot less trouble when I was a petit fils."

Marie genuinely smiles at him. "Ya sure about that Remy?" She questions with a trace of teasing.

He considers this for a moment. "Non, y'r right. Don' t'ink anyt'in woulda kep' me outta trouble." He answers with a smirk, making both Marie and Wanda laugh.

"Well, I'm gonna leave you two to catch up and find out what the heck John is up to in there."

"Y' sure y' wanna know?"

"No, but if Marie and I want to get any sleep, I have to get him out of there."

"Much as I don' wanna know, I haveta agree with Wanda. I've gotta work in tha mornin'." Marie regretfully informs them. More than anything, she wants to stay up and talk to Remy the entire night.

Marie moves to the kitchen to pour the coffee as Wanda steps over to the closet. She opens it to find John sitting on the floor.

"What are you doing?" She looks at John oddly.

"Well, the purple unicorns are wantin' me help in overthrowin' the fairies from their magical throne, but we have ta be wary o' the leprechauns, they've been smokin' the funny stuff again."

"I don't think they're the only ones." Wanda mutters, pinching the bridge of her nose as Remy snickers. "Too bad you're busy, cuz I was wanting to go for a romantic stroll." Wanda tells him as she begins to walk away.

"No, no. Sounds like a good idea ta me. I can plan with them later." John scrambles up from the floor and rushes to her side.

Marie comes out with two mugs and hands him one, returning to her seat.

"Dat's one fine boy in dere." Remy says with admiration

"Yeah, he sure is." Marie answers with a smile. They lapse into a comfortable silence for a time, each consumed with their own thoughts.

"So, y' work at a diner, huh?" He questions, initiating conversation.

"Yep. Tried ta fin' work as a mechanic, but nobody wanted ta hire a woman. Didn' think I knew anythin' about cars."

"Too bad dey didn' realize dat y' were trained by deux o' de bes'. Logan an' I taught y' everyt'in' we knew."

"I know. It's their loss. So...how is Logan?" She inquires hesitantly.

"He's missed y' 'bout as much as I did, but in a diff'rent way, o' course. T'anks t' y' gettin' dem t'gether, he fin'ly married Stormy a few mont's back."

"Really? Aww, that's wonderful. I always thought they should be tagether. Tell me more."

"Hmm...Petey's talkin' marriage."

"Ta Kitty? Ya mean they haven' already?"

"Y' know how shy dose deux are."

"I jus' might haveta go back up there an' beat some sense inta tha two a them. Ya know, get them movin' an' all."

Remy gazes at her seriously. "Y' wantin' t' go back up dere?" He questions, the intensity of his gaze causes her to look away self-consciously.

"Yeah. Now that I know they didn' abandon me, I wanna go back ta my family. This isn' my home, even though I've made some friends here. I wanna be an X-Man again."

"Y' got room in dose plans for me?" He waits for her answer with baited breath.

A blush crawls up from her neck. "Ya _are_ Eti's daddy, Remy."

"Dat's not what I meant, Marie."

"Remy...I think we need ta take some time an' see what happens between us. I don' wanna rush inta anythin'. Yes, I love ya, but I wanna see if we can get pas' everythin' that's happened."

"Y' know, y'r one smart femme. I love y' so much, but I don' wan' y' t' feel rushed an' I definitely don' wan' it all t' fall apart down de road. I say we go out as much as we can, bot' wit' Eti an' alone. It be de bes' way t' tell if we still got what it takes, dough I believe we do."

"I agree. I wanna see ya as much as I can, Rems." He smiles at her familiar shortening of his name and leans over, planting a quick kiss on her lips.

"So, how do I get home?" He asks humorously.

"Oh no, I didn' think about that. I completely forgot!" Rogue presses the heel of her hand into her forehead, the sensation of that contact, albeit brief, at the forefront of her mind.

"If y' agree, den if y' have somewhere for me t' sleep, I can stay here an' in de mornin', I will drop y' off at work an' take de car back t' my place an' see if dere's any way t' fix it. I'll pick y' up from work an' den we can take Eti out."

"He'll love that. Yeah, that'll work out great, Remy. Tha couch turns inta a bed, so ya can sleep there."

"Bon. Dat'll work jus' fine."

Over the course of the next few weeks, they are together constantly. Eti has become incredibly close to his father, the two sometimes doing something as a 'guy's day'. Remy has gone out with Marie on many occasions, indeed finding every possible reason to be around her. He's even been to the diner several times. At first, Randy thought that he was just another guy causing Marie trouble, but when she explained who he was, the two men became friends, defending her when Jesse would come around, trying to harass her into going out with him.

On the morning of the fourth week, Remy takes out his cell to make a call.

"Hey, Stormy."

"Remy! You sound much happier than you have in years."

"Oui, dat's for sure. Dis vacation's done me a worl' o' good."

"That's wonderful to hear. Are you still coming home tomorrow?"

"About dat...'M goin' t' be needin' some mo' time. 'M not quite ready t' come back, not yet."

"We don't have any pressing matters up here, so I think that can be arranged. Why? Have you finally met someone?" Ororo teases.

"Maybe." Remy answers evasively.

"Oh, so you have! Well, she has to be pretty special to put up with _your_ antics."

"Oui, she's special, alright. Besides, y' gotta admit dat 'm fun t' be aroun'." He shoots back playfully.

"It's so good to hear you sounding like yourself, again. Then again, is that such a good thing?" The two friends share a laugh.

"Well, anyway y' look at it, I've got news for y', but y'll have t' wait til I get back."

"Don't bait me like that. You know I don't enjoy guessing games."

"T' bad, so sad."

"You rat."

"Y' know y' love me."

"Uh-huh. I'll be certain to tell Logan that you said that."

"Ah, tell Monsieur Claws dat I sen' my sentiments."

"I can just tell that things are going to be _so_ much better upon your return." Storm replies drily as Remy chuckles wickedly. "I want a name, Remy."

"Non. Y' can' have one. B'sides, I t'ought y' already had a name."

"Smart-aleck."

"Bye, Stormy. See y' in a few mo' weeks."

Storm ends the call and turns to Logan. "I think we need to schedule a vacation for the kids."

"Why? What would Gumbo have ta do with takin'....Never mind. I know where you're mind is headin' 'Ro. You wanna take them to Savannah, don' ya, so you can meet Gumbo's new girlfriend?"

"And that's why I consented to marry you, dearest. You know me so well. You can't tell me that you're not the least bit curious about who this woman is that he's clearly enamored with. You know how deeply Rogue's leaving cut him."

"No, I just wonder what woman would be desperate enough ta be seen with him." Logan replies with a smirk as he turns the page of his paper.

"I'm going to speak to the Professor about this. The kids deserve a bit of a break to just sit on the beach and relax."

"Ya talkin' about the kids, or you?"

"Hmm...good point...._Wolvie_." She teases him with the nickname he hates, sauntering down the hall.

Three weeks later, Remy and Marie head out for the evening, Eti being left in the care of the neighbor lady, since Wanda has plans with John. After dinner, Remy takes her out to the beach to walk. He is well-aware of how he feels about her. He has always known, he just wanted to give her the time she requested. They make their way back to his place, staying out on the deck and star-gazing.

"I love y', Marie." He says suddenly, turning to her and taking her face in his hands.

"I love ya, too, Remy." She gazes up at him. Their lips meet in a tender kiss.

"M' feelin's have changed for y', cherie." Remy informs her sincerely.

Marie, fearing the worst, looks at him worriedly. "Yeah? How?"

"I've fallen mo' in love wit' y' dan I was befo'." His hand reaches up and strokes her hair.

"Ya have? Really?"

"Oui. I love everyt'in' 'bout y'. De way y' are wit' Eti, how y' are wit' y'r amis, how I can see jus' how much y' love me." He ends softly.

"I do. So very much. I didn' know if there was any hope lef', especially after tha way I treated ya."

"Non, dere's no need t' explain, chere. Monet was tres persuasive in her ways. I can see why y' t'oug't y' saw what y' did, but dat's all in de pas'. Tonight, I wanna talk 'bout de future."

"How so?"

"Firs' an' foremos', I wanna start by askin' y' if y'd marry me."

Marie gasps softly. "Are ya sure? I mean..." Remy leans over and gives her a searing kiss.

"Does dat answer y'r question?" He asks with a full-on smirk.

Her eyes shine joyfully. "Yes! This time I won' run away."

"Oh, I'll make sure o' dat. Y' can count on it."

"I suppose ya have a plan in that evil min' o' ya's?" She returns his smirk with one of her own.

"Maaayyybeeeee....." Remy drawls, chuckling at the look of intrigue, complete with raised brow. Oh, how he has missed this woman! "Okay, okay. I can see y'r not gonna let me have any peace til I tell y'. Let me ask y', do y' wanna wait long ta get married?"

Marie considers his question for several minutes. "Actually, no I don'. It's already been years an' I don' wan' a long, drawn-out engagement, which I _know_ is what will happen with Kitty an' company, complete with a big weddin'. I really don' wan' that. I think, tha quicker, tha better, so we can actually _be_ a family."

Marie's heart flutters at the slow, seductive grin that makes its way onto Remy's face. "I like how y' t'ink, mon amour." He purrs, with a smoldering gaze.

That was two days ago. Tonight, they stand at the altar of a small chapel in a wooded area of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Marie wearing a simple white silk wedding gown with spaghetti straps, purchased earlier in the day and Remy in a designer suit with a white silk shirt, sans the tie. Their witnesses are John and Wanda, of course, with Eti excitedly looking on as his parents recite their wedding vows.

It is decided that Eti will stay with Wanda, with John having his own room at the Omni, dire consequences being implied if he were to so much as flick a lighter.

The parents tuck Eti in for the night, while Wanda and John do a bit of celebrating on the newly-wedded couple's behalf.

"Why did ya an' Daddy get mawwied?" Eti asks his mama.

"Because we love each other. We always have an' always will." She tells him happily.

"So where will Daddy wive now?"

The couple shares a chuckle. "We will all live tagetha, Eti."

"Ya mean Daddy won' haveta weave anymore?" Eti's eyes begin to shine joyfully.

"Nope. We're all gonna move ta a big mansion an' we will all stay tagetha. Now it's time ta go ta sleep. We have a long trip home tamorra, where we will move inta tha house that Daddy's stayin' in til it's time ta go ta tha mansion."

"Yay!" Eti cheers, although it is quickly overtaken with a huge yawn.

Marie tells him a story and he is soon asleep, with Wanda and John returning not too long after the fact.

The next week brings a big surprise for our little family.

A knock on the door rouses Remy from his slumber. Marie turns as he groggily gets out of bed.

"Who in tha Sam-Hill comes visitin' at 8 am?" She questions sleepily as her husband leans over to kiss her head.

"Stay here. I'll go an' see who de idiot is."

"No problem." Marie mutters as she burrows under the covers. She quit working at the diner, since she no longer needs the work, so she sleeps-in at every opportunity.

The murmur of voices instantly alerts her.

"Storm? Logan?" Those voices she holds dear drift up to her. Flinging the covers off, she rushes into the shower. As she is drying her hair, Remy enters, chuckling evilly.

"I didn' tell dem 'bout y'. Didn' tell dem we're married, eit'er."

"Ya tryin' ta get yaself skewered?" She inquires as he gets dressed.

"Hey, I figure if dey can surprise us, den I'll jus'...return de favor."

Marie chortles as he comes up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck.

"Did I ever tell y' dat I love dat dress on y'?" He inquires with a sexy undertone as she reaches up to stroke his jaw.

"Only about a thousand times, sugah." She drawls in response.

"Wait for me. I tol' dem dat I would bring y' down t' 'meet' dem."

"Ya an evil man, Remy." Rogue giggles.

"Den y' mus' like evil, cuz y' married me." He reasons, pulling on his jeans.

"Don' remin' me." Marie drily retorts.

"No, it can't be." Logan murmurs, shock coloring his features.

"What? What is it?" Ororo questions, concern showing clearly in her eyes.

"The scent....it's gotta be...." He is cut off as Remy descends the stairs with a slightly older Rogue on his arm.

"Oh my. Rogue! I-I can't....but...is it really you, child?" Storm is astounded, to say the least.

Marie rushes over, throwing her arms around Storm. "It's me." She states, her voice thick with tears as she is reunited with some of her loved ones.

"Stripes?" Logan looks like he's seeing a mirage, but the scent is unmistakable. Marie finally releases Ororo and gazes at Logan, her hand over her mouth as she leaps into his arms. He is a bit taken aback by her fervency, but awkwardly embraces the young woman he has most decidedly missed.

"What're ya doin' here? With Gumbo, no less?" He queries gruffly, his infamous over-protectiveness emerging.

"He's my husband." She looks over at Remy and grins.

"Cajun. You an' I got some talkin' ta do." Logan growls, shooting a glare at him.

"Logan, we were gonna get married anyway. Need I point that out...again?" Marie reminds him, her hands on her hips.

"No, you don't. Logan, you _will_ leave Remy alone. It is more than obvious that they are deeply in love and are clearly meant for each other. Therefore, you are not allowed to slice, dice, shish-kebob or torture Remy in any way, shape or form." Storm firmly rebukes him. "That is now Rogue's job." She adds on a lighter note with Rogue casting a wicked grin at her husband.

"Good luck, Cajun. You'll need it." Logan sardonically grins.

"Uh, before we get any further, there's somethin' else ya mus' know." Marie begins.

"What is it, Rogue?"

"I-that is, we....well, we have a child. Ya see, when I ran, I didn' know at tha time that I was pregnant. He'll probably be down soon, wantin' breakfast."

"You had a boy?" Storm gently queries.

"Yeah. His name's Etienne, but we call him Eti."

"He's a tres beau fils. Takes after his pere." Remy states proudly as he begins breakfast preparations.

"Poor kid." Logan jokes as Marie directs a glare his way.

As predicted, Eti makes his appearance at the top of the stairs. "Mama!" He calls out.

"Comin' honey." Marie responds, heading up to tend to Eti. Eventually, they return downstairs.

"Oh, he is so adorable." Storm smiles warmly. "Hello, Eti. My name is Ororo, but everyone calls me Storm. This is my husband, Logan, but he goes by Wolverine."

He simply asks: "Why?"

"Well, do you know of many people who can do this?" She inquires, stirring up the slightest of breezes.

"You weawwy did that?" He looks at her with typical little-boy astonishment.

"Yes, I did. Where you will be going to live, there are many people there who have special 'gifts', different things they can do, that other people cannot. When you get older, you will have a special gift, too."

"I will?" Now he's getting excited.

"Yes, you will. Oh, it looks like your father has breakfast ready." Storm takes Eti's hand, accompanying him to the table. Logan takes the plate of sausages and spears one with a claw. Eti looks on in wide-eyed fascination.

"Logan, did ya haveta do that?" Marie groans as Eti says: "Wow." Remy rolls his eyes.

"Jealous?" Logan asks facetiously, sparing a glance at Eti.

"O' y'? Hah!" Remy exclaims. "He hasn' seen what _I_ can do yet." He states smugly.

"And thus the family is reunited." Storm replies drily, making Rogue laugh.

By the time the vacation comes to a close, Remy and Marie have all their things packed-up and ready to go to make the trek back to New York. John and Wanda will be returning also, going back to the Brotherhood house. They are staying a few more days to tie-up loose ends at the apartment. They have promised to meet up with Marie and Remy, once they have come back.

"Ya know, I'm gonna miss this place." Marie glances around fondly at the beach and her surroundings.

"Me t', but I got de bes' part o' de deal. I met up wit' y' here an' got t' know mon fils. Now I get t' take bot' o' y' back wit' me. We could always come back for vacations, when de X-Men get t' be t' much an' we jus' wanna be Remy an' Marie." He suggests, placing a kiss to her temple as Piotr and Roberto help load the last of the boxes.

"Or when Kitty reminds me for the umpteenth thousandth time that she didn' get ta help me plan my weddin', that I robbed her a that right?"

Remy laughs heartily. "Dat t'. maybe we'll move here when Eti reaches puberty." He jokes.

"Oh no, we'll haveta move further away than here. He'd know where ta fin' us." Marie returns merrily.

Kurt walks over to them, Eti in tow. The boy is completely enamored with his Uncle Kurt.

"Ve haf everyzing packed und ready to go. I am so happy to haf you back, schwester." Kurt embraces Marie. "Is everyone ready to go?"

"Yeah, we're ready." Marie casts one last glance at the sea and takes Eti's hand, securing him in his seat for the ride back.

"Let's get dis show on de road den. Right, cherie?" Remy climbs into the truck, starting it. Marie gets in. "Hello once again, Rogue." She smiles lovingly at Remy and they begin the return home.


End file.
